Funnell’s Wood

As mentioned in this article, in the 1830’s, like many others, the parish of Chiddingly was having a hard time feeding it’s poor. Someone came up with the idea of financing settlers to the “new world”.

The 1832 Vestry Minutes record the following:
12th April - “It was agreed that THOMAS FUNNELL, wife ANN and their 9 children, THOMAS, MARY, ANN, ELIZABETH, JESSE, DAVID, PHILLIS, WILLIAM & FRANCES, shall emigrate to America at the expense of £59.4s, exclusive of the expenses to Shoreham, the same to be borne by the Parish”
Signed by Thomas Funnell with an X

The family agreed to pay a fine to the parish if they returned within 5 years. They never did. They settled in Ontario, Canada, a land which offered them many more opportunities than the parish ever could. This is a chapter entitled “The Thomas Funnell Family” to be found pages 312, 313 and 314 of the book “Pioneer life on the Bay of Quinte, including genealogies of old families and biographical sketches of representative citizens“.

Thomas Funnell, the founder of the family in Canada, was born in Sussex, England, in 1777. He was a cooper by trade and continued at the business, which was a profitable one, after coming to Canada. He married Ann Coates, also of Sussex. They came to Canada in 1832, settling at Kingston. Here they lived and prospered, and many of their children married and settled in the vicinity.

Jesse Funnell was born in Sussex, England, on April 10th, 1820, and came with his father Thomas Funnell to Canada as a lad of twelve. He attended school in England and for some time after coming to Canada, but later learned the tailoring trade. This was years before the advent of ready-made clothing, and the business was a lucrative one. Subsequently he opened a merchant tailoring store in Kingston, and then in Portsmouth, where he had purchased property. This business he carried on successfully until 1877, when he sold out his property in Portsmouth and purchased his present home of fifteen acres in Murray, and practically retired; although he has devoted his leisure to the culture of fruit, with the result that he has a model fruit farm, while bis residence overlooking the lake has a location that could not be excelled. On May 23rd, 1844, he married Jane Kemp, who was born in Hull, England, August 23rd, 1828, and came to Kingston with her parents in childhood. The Kemp family in England were people of means and position, and are also a well known family in Canada, where they have long been prominent in social, political and business circles. While living at Portsmouth, the Funnell family took an active interest in the work of the Church; Jesse Funnell being a trustee of the Methodist Church and Superintendent of the Sabbath School for many years.

Jesse Funnell, Jr., Mayor of Trenton, and eldest son of Jesse Funnell, was born in Portsmouth, but came to Trenton in 1881, and started in business as a dealer in coal, wood, hides, tallow and wool. That he is a man of splendid executive ability is evidenced by his successful career. From a comparatively small beginning, his business has become one of the most important in the district; his wool warehouse has held seventy thousand pounds of that commodity at one time, and his local buyers may be found in nearly every village and town between Brockville and Toronto. Mr. Funnell does a large business in coal and wood, as well as in the purchase of hides, tallow and wool. In 1886 he was elected a town councillor, but his large business interests required so much of his attention that he would not again accept a nomination, until 1901, when he received a larger vote than was ever before accorded any candidate for the same office. He was elected Mayor by acclamation in 1902 and also in 1903, and elected by popular vote in 1904. Mayor Funnell has proved an excellent Mayor, giving to the municipality the benefit of his long business experience, good judgment and undoubted integrity. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity and several other Orders. His residence on King Street is one of the finest in Trenton.

THOMAS FUNNELL.

CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN :

I. John Funnell, unm., d. aged twenty-two.

II. Mary Funnell, m. Gabriel Belway; set. Kingston. Issue: (1)

III. Thomas Funnell, m. Frances Funnell; set. Napanee. Issue (1)
John, (2) William and (3) Susan.

IV. Ann Funnell, m. James Schroder; set. Kingston. Issue: (1) Henry, (2) Ann, (3) Thomas, (4) John, (5) Phylis and (6) Frances.

Elizabeth Funnell, m. Henry Dumble; set. Kingston. Issue: (1) Thomas and (2) Mary A.

VI. Jesse Funnell, m. Jane Kemp; set.. Murray. Issue: (1) Frances A. (2) Jesse Jr., (3) Robert K., (4) Ada A., and (5) Florence M.

VII. Phylis Funnell, m. Jonathan Offord ; set. Kingston. No issue.

VIII. William Funnell, m. 1st, Ann Linton and 2nd, Ellen Toppen, set. Kingston. Issue by 2nd: (1) George, (2) James and (3) Ellen.

IX. Frances Funnell, m. John Balm; set. United States. Issue: (1) John and (2) Frances E.

THE GRANDCHILDREN AND ISSUE:

See VI. The Jesse Funnell Branch :

(1) Frances A. Funnel, m. William F. Baker; set. finally Portage-la-Prairie. Issue: (a) William H., B.A., m. Charlotte Richardson, (Issue: Donald, Wallace and Frances H.), (6) Raymond K., B.A., (c) Florence I., B.A., (d), Frances Edna and (e) Lorna I.

(2) Jesse Funnell Jr., m. Elizabeth Williams; set. Trenton. Issue: (a) Norman, d. aged 9, and (&) Harold, d. aged 5.

(3) Robert Funnell, TTO. Rosella V. Meyers; set. United States. Issue: (a) Jesse C. and (6) W. Goldwin.

(4) Dr. Ada A. Funnell, unm. Graduate of the Medical Department, Queen’s University, and an M.D., taking four Scholarships during her course.

(5) Florence M. Funnell, m. William Thomas; set. Campbellford. Issue: (a) Florence A.

Notes:
Pioneer life on the Bay of Quinte, including genealogies of old families and biographical sketches of representative citizens
Publié par Rolph, 1972 - 1005 pages
ISBN 0919302289, 9780919302280